AN INDEX OF HARDINESS IN PEACH BUDS 
379 
between the water content of fruit buds of the Elberta and Greensboro 
peach becomes more marked, the values for the Elberta being the greater. 
Further investigation will be necessary to determine whether or not these 
differences are characteristic of the varieties, and to what extent such mois- 
ture content values are related to hardiness of these fruit buds. Attention 
is also called to the fact that of these varieties the Greensboro is considered 
more hardy with respect to winter injury, and to the fact that in this same 
variety the ratio of water content to dry weight of fruit buds is consider- 
ably less than that of the Elberta. Early spring is a critical time in the 
peach industry because of the /'tender" condition of fruit buds. This same 
period is the time when the moisture content of the buds increases very 
rapidly. 
Laboratory of Plant Physiology, 
Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station 
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